END
by GraePearl
Summary: Fairy Tail is a family before all else. But the once hard built family has now fallen. Everything is wrong and no one sees a way. Now is the beginning of the end. Post GM Games. Drabbles of those in the 100,000 Dragons future timeline.
1. Last Train Home, Still Far

Pain. A pain that hurt so much, I didn't even have time to scream or cry. No time to think about what would happen next.

And no going back.

Even though I took the killing blow from Rouge to save the past me, I felt angry. Angry that I had come back for nothing. I had wasted my last chance. Humanity's last chance. And as gravity had done it's job to keep me from flying off, I fell hard to the marble floors.

Now on the ground, things moved too fast for me as everything happened at once. Younger me crying as I tried my best to relay the last I knew to her, Happy coaxing and begging me to stay awake, I thought I heard Wendy scream with terror and Charla just stood shocked.

And Natsu could only stand, looking so defeated. It broke what was left of my fractured heart.

So I did the last thing I could possibly do. I grabbed the other me's hand and held it as I slipped away, trying to smile as the pink Fairy faded into black.

I remember feeling cold as I clung to the blackness around me. Like I expected anything less from dying. But how could I complain. It was like how my Natsu described as the cheery gaze of his dulled into a sightless stare.

Cold, yet he held on.

But soon I felt the tickle of something on my back. Like grass. I opened my eyes to a near cloudless expanse of blue. I had to squint as I peered up at it's mocking perfection.

Sitting up, I realized I was in a golden field that went on for miles and miles in all directions. I felt unsteady, so placed my arms back. When I felt my left hand touch something, I froze and silently drew it forward. Low and behold, my mark was there once more.

Apart of my again.

I decided that I should try to move around, see if anyone was there or if it was just a dream. My legs felt stiff at first, but after one step, I felt sure of myself.

"LUCY!"

My feet rooted into the ground at the sound of his voice. Turing on the ball of my foot, I saw them.

Everyone I thought had died. I thought had been lost forever in the flames of the disaster were smiling at the top of a hill. At the lead, a pink haired mage ran up to me and extended his hand to me, a blue cat in tow.

"Let's go! Everyone's waiting!"

Tears decided to fall free and began I held fast to Natsu's sturdy hands. And when I felt the familiar electric feeling I had felt on Tenrou island, I knew that this wasn't a dream.

She remembered everyone had welcomed her with smiles and laughs, but there were some faces missing, some still caught in Earthland.

Still waiting for the last train to take them home.


	2. Blaze Of Glory

I have never been one to back down from a fight. Not in a million years! So when I faced the dragon that had attacked Lucy, I was ready.

Sure, there may have been one hundred thousand of them, but that's what we dragon slayers do. We kill dragons that stand in our way.

Or that kill our family.

I wasn't even thinking as a lept at them with flaming fists and Lucy yelling for me to stay back. But I couldn't stop. Not until I take one down, not until I avenge everyone that died.

I was so fired up, I didn't notice that the dragon I turned a blind eye towards in favor of a fire dragon had decided to counter attack, slaming me back down to earth.

Landing me on top of a metal pole sticking out of the ground.

I couldn't remember much after that, but I could her Luce as she ran to where I was. I didn't like how she kept crying, saying I was fine while trying to pick me up and carry me.

"Hey L-Lucy?"

She stopped her efforts to pull me up as I tried to get her attention.

When I knew she was listening and ready, I pushed her away from me, smirking as best as I could through gritted teeth.

"Run...find anyone you can...please."

Lucy went hystarical and began to complain.

"No! I can't just leave you here to die! We can make it if you try!"

I shook my head.

"I don't feel fired up anymore...just really cold."

Her face grew extremely desperate and scared. She raced back to my side, hugging me close to her as everything went black.

"L...Let's go...on an...adventure...soon, okay?" I tried to say as she sobbed on my chest.

"Y-Yeah...v-very soon, you got?"

And as my vision went to nothing, I smiled while using the last of my strength to rub her head.

"Always"

Next thing I knew, it went totally dark. I couldn't even see myself as I felt weightless and broken. I made Lucy cry again.

After what felt like hours I woke up in a grassy field. The smells of familiar friends flooded me. But one was missing. After a moment of rest, I sat up and began to survey my current location. It mostly an empty field with people mingling and sitting up. Some faces I knew, others must have been people that came from the city or other places around the world.

But where was-?

"NATSU!"

A flying ball of blue fur ran into my stomach full force. I recognized that voice anywhere. Tears clouded my vision as I embraced my friend, my closest family. Happy. I wasn't ashamed as we rolled on the ground, laughing and crying together.

"I missed you, Happy."

I still remember the day I got here. I remember every step of the way. I had time to think about my life as I did so. I never got lonely or hungry. But something was always missing as me and Happy played all day and partied with the guild members all night.

A part I would always keep waiting for.

Even though new/old faces show everyday, I kept waiting for the one person who I left alone. The one person I can't let cry without comfort. The one who kept me on my toes and my fire burning stronger than I thought I could ever have.

The one I left in my blaze of glory to come home. To go on our eternal adventure once more.


	3. Let's Go Home And Start Again

**(A/N) Inspiration song called "Come To Me" by The Goo Goo Dolls**

I don't even know how I died. One minute we were about to escape the city into safety, the next I was floating in darkness, weighing about as much as a feather.

Was this what it was like to die? Was this even real? But I guess it was real as it could possibly be.

And as quickly as I had entered this dreamlike state, I was whisked away into another reality.

This one was warm though. And full of golden grass. I could see the whole field stretch for miles and miles at a time. I didn't even notice anyone around until I heard a commanding voice demand my attention.

"Gray Fullbuster!"

I snapped out of my daze and sharply turned around. Standing in front of me was a woman with short raven hair and a steel cutting gaze. Her looks called for respect and order. She was Ur, and she was mad.

"What kind of student did I raise to not notice his own death! If I were you, I would have at least noticed that something was wrong! IDIOT!"

Ur's words shocked me. But after a moment, a hand reached and patted the woman's shoulder. A similar looking female with his teacher's looks smiled at her elated mother.

"Calm yourself mother! You will die of stress next if you keep worrying yourself away!"

Ur sigh at her daughter Ultear. My old teacher faced me and closed the distance between us, embracing me as they made contact.

"I missed you though."

A stray tear fell from the my face. How long had it been since we had been like this? How many years has she been dead? Because it almost seemed wrong, being how I had grown well over my late teacher's height. I wasn't a kid to her anymore.

After pulling away, Ultear stepped up and faced me.

"And just because you beat me, doesn't mean you don't have to listen to me." Smirking, she and her mother linked arms and walked off towards a now appearing group of people.

"I'm still your big sister!" she yelled back, waving her hand up as to signal her leave.

I grinned as I watched them walk off to a new comer that I now saw was Leon and some of Lamia Scale. The look on his face was priceless, but still heartwarming when he and teacher also shared a touching hug.

"Gray-sama?" a timid voice asked from behind.

I turned my head around to see Juvia standing a couple of steps away. Her head hung a bit low and she was sullen as could be.

"Hey Juvia, what's up?"

The rain woman then shifted on her feet a bit more as her gaze lowered even further to the ground, her eyes starting to water as she spoke.

"Juvia is sorry we are dead. I should have been more careful and protected Gray-sama."

All at once, I felt apart of my head scold me for letting her feel this way. Though she was a stalker, a bit crazy, and on top of that an over reactor. She was still a fellow mage of Fairy Tail and a trusted friend, someone I could count on to have my back.

"Don't worry about it. Could be worse."

Still not convinced that she was off the hook, her head sunk lower and her shoulders dropped slightly in defeat. I knew how hard it is to feel like I let someone down, what it feels like to have someone's life slip through your fingers because you messed up.

Me and her might not have really sat down and given each other our life stories, but we both had some pretty messed pasts. The orphan boy who lost two families and the gloomy girl without someone who would care for her.

And maybe if I got to know her better, we could maybe have something more.

So I did the one thing I knew would cheer her up.

"Do you want to meet my teacher?"

Her head shot up a bit and her smile was almost blinding. Next thing I knew, she flung herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck. She was so quick, I almost stumbled backwards on impact. I could already feel a light blush on my face as she held on. Juvia's hair brushed past my cheek and gave me a little pleasant smell of her.

It was a cross between a beach and lavender.

After breaking away, we both walked towards Leon, Ultear, and Ur. I thought of how much of an earful I was going to get from Ur about me treating her right and Ultear snickering about children.

I didn't even notice our hands were intertwined.


	4. Red Badge Of Courage

**(A/N) Inspiration song is _My Most Precious Treasure_ from Angel Beats, performed by LiSA. And it's the nightcore version.**

The dragon had won.

I didn't even dent it. I could have unlimited power and as much armour as there are stars in the sky, but I couldn't even hold a candle to the mighty beasts that escorted me to my grave.

I knew that before I ran off to buy time for the remaining people of the city to escape that I would not be with them. I had to trust that Levy and the others would be safe and sound. That they would find a way.

But as I floated in a never ending darkness, I wondered about Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and everyone else I had let down. Master Mavis, Master Makarov, Mirajane, The Thunder Legion, Meredy, Millianna, Kagura,...even Jellal.

After what felt like ages, a light finally reached me. The sound of rustling grass and the smell of fresh air had filled my lungs. Opening my eyes and sitting up, I was surrounded by golden fields that seemed to quiet my once racing heart.

Even standing up felt peaceful as my feet seemed to just lightly tread on the ground as I walked. On my way to nowhere, sometimes people seemed to pop up. Sometimes they were alone, other times in small groups of two to six at a time.

Then three heads caught my eye. One was a vibrant pink with ear muffs that also acted as a head band. Another was raven black and glossy with a white head band.

But the tallest of the three made my heart leap in my throat. A dark azure color that was tossed in a almost childish manner. As soon as they started to stand, I jogged up to greet them. They didn't notice me until the pinkette turned her head and spotted me. The young teen waved her hand and lifted her chin excitedly and with the giddy demeanor of a child.

"Erza-chan! Erza-chan!"

The other two turned to reveal their group. Ultear smiled and waved also as I closed the distance between me and them. But Jellal just grinned his knowing grin. I couldn't help but do the same back, but as I stopped in front of them, I had to remind myself 'Even if we're dead, he is still engaged to Ultear.'

"It's nice to see you again, Scarlet." Ultear said, wrapping me in a tight hug. I embraced back, because how could I dislike her? She was level headed and smart. A good match for my childhood friend. After pulling away, Meredy opened her arms and said "Don't I get one, too?"

I couldn't resist her cuteness and proceeded to also give her a hug as well. When we broke the hug, I finally faced Jellal. He looked down at me and gave a nervous cough. Ultear must have took that as a sign to leave us alone and decided to leave.

"I'm gonna go find my mother. You two catch up okay?" And with that left to do as she said. Meredy also gave us some space by saying "I'm gonna go find Juvia, I still have to thank her for secretly shopping with me during the games!"

As she scampered off, the air grew very awkward between me and him. It was a stand off to see who would go first. And I was the last to break the stiff silence as Jellal went first.

"Um...Erza?"

"Yes Jellal?"

He then suddenly looked down at his feet as if they would strangle him. A minute went by before he glanced to the side and continued.

"I lied...about Ultear being my fiance."

I had to make a double take. He lied about the time mage being his bride to be? Why would he tell me that? I just about considered punching him. But I couldn't bring myself to hurt him. So I clenched my jaw and went to question his motives.

"Why would you lie to me?"

He brought up his gaze to meet mine that I'm pretty sure was ripping daggers in his. But he was Jellal Fernandez, one of the only people who knew me on a personal level. And one, if not only, person who knew how paper thin I really was.

"I was...too afraid."

"Afraid of what? Me?"

The hurt look in his eyes made me want to scream at myself, but I held my stern face and stance. I deserved an answer, and pity and my own wants came second.

"I was too afraid of hurting you." His voice shook, but his eyes grew more confident and he rose a little higher.

"I didn't want to make you happy only to leave you behind. I had caused you enough trouble that I should be dead for it."

He then placed his hands on my shoulders, steadying himself as he pressed forward.

"I didn't need you to feel the weight of my sins as well. You don't need to bare the pain I bare. You don-"

I then slapped him as he was mid-speech. The look he had was of shock and emotional pain. Some people near-by looked as Jellal rebounded and as I began to scold him. Loudly.

"Now listen here, Jellal. You may think you don't deserve happiness, but you've done enough to help us. You saved me multiple times, you helped us when we were in desperation."

I then shot my arms onto his shoulders and gave them a shake.

"And you gave a name to a nameless orphan girl who couldn't even speak for herself. And you gave her a friend and love beyond definition."

I couldn't help but smile, feeling a wet sensation in my eyes. His own irises growing large in realization.

"And you gave me a badge of courage to keep on fighting, even if you were gone."

The silence was hollow and cold. Had I gone too far? Had I made a mistake? But before I could say 'Strawberry's and Shortcakes', I felt him pull me in fast and capture my lips in a heartbeat.

A fluttering in my stomach that was present before now exploded into a flurry and fuzzy feeling that started in my toes and worked it's way up. We broke apart so soon, I felt almost dizzy as I tried to process what was going on.

And as we both stood staring at the other, our smiles grew wide and our blushes did too. But it didn't matter as we went back in for another, making it longer than the last.

Sure we had our trials and tribulations, but we somehow always found our way back to each other. And now we had the rest of all time to stop being brave and start being us.


	5. On Wings Of Hope

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"(A/N) This chapter is set 12 years into the future with the surviving group of the dragon raid. Wendy and Romeo are 25(ish), Levy is 34(ish), and Lisanna is 32. The inspiration song is Her New Wings from Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie: Rebellion. /span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Romeo stood holding my hand in the dimly lit hole that was the hospital section of our underground home. I had been here for hours in the most pain I had ever been in my entire life. But hopefully it would have all paid off./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Okay Mr. and Mrs. Conbolt! Ready to meet your new son?" Lisanna, who had been cleaning and wrapping the newborn finally said. My husband raised his head and said yes to the white headed Straus sister./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"After handing the child over to him, I peered into his arms and saw the small creature that I had been apart of me for nine months. Romeo brought the infant down to my chest as I circled my arms around the tiny thing./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"It was so light and had a soft tuft of black hair that just began to show. It was chubby but he would grow out of it as he grew up. His eyes were still closed as he slept, oblivious to the cruel world around him. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"But I frowned as I realized that he would have to struggle to survive like the rest of us. Tears welled in my eyes because I was the idiot who brought this helpless babe into the chaos. But before one drop of salt water dripped down, a calloused hand gently reached under my chin and wiped the tears away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"I looked into the dark brown eyes of my loves face. His features had changed dramatically over the years, giving a more handsome and masculine feeling to it. Romeo's smile made my heart melt and reminded me that I wasn't going to bring him up alone./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"He wrapped his toned yet scarred arms around me and our child, as if to block out the rest of the world for if not only for a moment. I rested my head in the crook of his neck as I breathed in his familiar scent./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""What do you want to name him?" he asked, his throat vibrating as he spoke. I pulled my head away from his neck and hovered it over the bundle in my arms./p  
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p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"I could feel how Romeo tensed at the mention of his late father's name and how his heart sounded heavy, but he gave a sad smile and replied./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Haru, huh? I like it. No, I love it."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The grin on my face grew even wider. Lisanna then coughed and we looked at her. She was standing at the passageway that was covered by a hanging cloth./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""There is someone here to see you two. Should I send them in or away for now?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The man at my side shook his head. "No, let them in."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The woman nodded and stepped out and in stepped a light blue haired woman with a black sleeveless top and cargo pants that were a bit baggy. Her hair was held up in a headband that once belonged to a certain dragon slayer that died twelve year prior to today./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"I was glad to see her. "Levy! I thought you wouldn't be back today!"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Levy smirked and walked over to us. "We were able to avoid the dragons on the mountain pass. So we were able to get home sooner."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Romeo got up and shook the underground shelter leader's hand with a bright smile. "Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The scar faced mage broke the handshake, smirk still on her face. "I still can't believe you guys have a kid now. Young love I guess."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Her gaze then reached the child. Levy stepped around the taller man and observed the child. Taking in every detail with her wise eyes that noticed everything. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""You know, events like these make me feel one step further on the road to hope."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"I perked up as me and my husband looked at her. Romeo put a hand on her shoulder, looking at her as if she had grown a third head./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Why? We still are trying to gather up dragons that would ally with the humans and we are still years from a counter attack. Why does one birth make you feel more hopeful?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Levy turned to face him head on, her firming figure making her taller than she really was. "Because a new life is a sign. A sign we are moving forward." She turned her now clouding eyes on the child. "Instead of someone dieing, a person is breathing for the first time."/p  
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p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""When I elected to lead, I thought it was a mistake. And every time I had to leave another comrade behind, or watch another friend die. It felt like I was losing it." Her brown irises cleared and where replaced with a look of joy./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""But whenever someone was born, I thought of how amazing life was. How the cost of one life could be repaid by just doing one thing."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"I then watched as she walked away, every step certain and calm. It was a walk that had been practiced to be a walk of confidence. Something to look up to and stride to be. It was the walk that had to be lived./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Before their leader left, she turned and gave one last answer./p  
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p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Yeah." Romeo said, finding himself back on the bed with his family. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"It was almost bittersweet to think about my dragon slayer companions. They were more like brothers really. And Lucy, Erza, and Juvia were like my big sisters. Gray, Jet, and Droy were also like cousins when I thought about./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Though no one could replace what they lost that day. But with many dragons starting to join the side of humanity, I, my husband, and my son will at least have a ray of hope for tomorrow./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"And hope that the family could see the spring sky safely again./p 


	6. The Price Of One Life

**(A/N) Inspiration song is the theme from Jurassic Park. Cover by The Piano Guys**

Fire was all I saw. It engulfed the once proud capital of Fiore. Just watching it and think of the countless lives that were lost to the flames made me want to throw up. But their was one life lost that made me want to hurtle myself off the cliff face, Lecter.

I couldn't find Minerva anywhere. She had him and she was gone, probably dumped him on her merry way to safety after the attacks. The witch left us. She didn't even give us so much as a howdy do when she disappeared into the night. What a coward.

"Sting, we have to go. The others are escaping while the dragons are distracted." I then turned my head to see Rouge and his cat, Frosch, both covered like I was in soot and cuts from fighting our way through the city.

I felt something inside me snap as he said 'escape'. "What about everyone else? What about those unlucky enough to be trapped in the city? Who is going to get them out!?"

The shadow dragon slayer sighed in annoyance. Frosch's eyes teared up as he still held that stupid grin of his.

"Frosch thinks that Sting-kun is sad. It makes me sad."

Rouge picked up his charge and added in "I know it's hard, but you have to be a leader now." He then started walking towards the last group of people that were fleeing through a tunnel that was dug out by many as a means of escape.

"For all of your family."

I fliched as he said 'Family'. The only people I considered family were Rogue, Frosch, and Lector. They cared for me. Watched out for me. And most of all, didn't see me as a cold hearted jerk, but just me. But now that everything was falling apart, I couldn't even consider what family even is anymore.

Did the rest of the guild see me like they did, but were too afraid to say anything for fear of punishment by the hand of the late master? Not knowing what to do and questioning himself was giving him a headache.

He just wanted to go back to the guild hall, curl up in his room, and wake up the next day as if this was just a nightmare.

"Sting-sama?" A small voice asked from behind. As I faced who the voice belonged to, it was Yukino. She had Lector sleeping in her arms, and a frown on her face.

"Yukino?" I spun to face her head on. While I had been horrible towards her, I did it for fear of my life and Lecter's life. Speaking of him, there she was, cradling him safely. I couldn't believe he was safe. How did she find and get him from Minerva?

She then took a step forward till the distance between us was only a foot of space. The celestial mage then handed the sleeping cat over to me with care and gentle ease that only women have.

"I found him while I was escaping. I knew you couldn't leave him behind."

I didn't cry in front of her, but I knew when Lector woke up, the water works would ensue. But for now I decided to see how the girl in front of me was doing.

"How did you escape?"

Her face lifted to meet my eyes. "I got the help of a Fairy Tail mage. She went to go find her family after I got here."

I smiled at her with as much joy as I could muster at that moment, which was a lot considering what she had done for me. "Thanks again for helping Lecter, I owe you one."

Yukino blushed slightly and then spoke up. "Actually, I would like to come back to Sabertooth."

I stood shocked at her request. Why would she want to come back after what happened? Why trust us again? If I were her, I would've left Lecter behind and laughed as I went on my merry way. And yet, she took the chance of getting killed to bring him back to me.

"Why? After all you went through, I thought you would hate us. Why do you want to come back?"

She shifted her feet before looking back up. "Because I've always felt at home. I remember going out on jobs with you and the others. How your guards would drop and you were you."

She saw the real me? I let out a sigh of relief. At least if she came back it wouldn't be too awkward. A grin then spread from ear to ear on my face. It wasn't a grin of satisfaction or a cocky smirk, it was just a smile all my own that I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Then let's go, Yukino. We'll get left behind."

"Right, Sting-sama."

Though Sabertooth had a long way to go to gain back the respect and trust of others, I could start by being the Master they needed. And the one that will lead us on the road of forgiveness.


End file.
